If you’re in B2B sales or marketing, you know most outreach goes nowhere. The shotgun approach—blasting thousands of emails, hoping for a hit—wastes time and annoys people. The answer? Start with a focused, thoughtful account list. This guide is for anyone who wants to use Getrafiki to build account lists that actually get replies, not just collect dust in a CRM.
No fluff, no “growth hacking.” Let’s get to work.
Why targeted account lists actually matter
Before we start clicking buttons, let’s be clear: a good account list is the backbone of any real B2B outreach. If you’re pitching the wrong companies, it doesn’t matter how slick your email is or how many follow-ups you send. You’ll just annoy people and get marked as spam.
A solid, targeted list lets you:
- Spend time on prospects who are actually relevant
- Personalize your message (without writing a novel every time)
- Shorten your sales cycle by talking to people who care
But don’t overthink it. You don’t need a 100-point scoring system. Start simple, stay focused, and refine as you go.
Step 1: Define your “ideal customer” (no, seriously)
This is the step everyone skips—and regrets later. Resist the urge to just import a giant list of random companies.
Ask yourself:
- What industries do you actually want to work with?
- What company size fits your product or service?
- Are there certain geographies you serve (or want to avoid)?
- Who’s the real buyer or champion? (Job titles, seniority, etc.)
Pro tip: If you’re not sure, pull 5-10 of your best current customers. What do they have in common? Start there.
Write these down. If you can’t describe your ideal customer in 2-3 sentences, you’re not ready to build a list.
Step 2: Log into Getrafiki and set up your workspace
Assuming you’ve got a Getrafiki account, log in and head to your dashboard. If not, you’ll need to sign up—don’t worry, this isn’t a plug, just reality.
Once you’re in:
- Make sure you’re in the right workspace or team (if your company has multiple).
- Double-check your permissions. If you can’t create lists, talk to your admin.
Don’t skip this. Nothing’s more annoying than spending an hour building a list, only to find out you can’t save it.
Step 3: Use filters—the right way
This is where Getrafiki does the heavy lifting. But don’t go wild with every filter under the sun. More filters aren’t better—just more complicated.
Here are the filters that actually matter for most B2B outreach:
- Industry: Start broad, then narrow. If you’re not sure, use a few related industries.
- Company size: Employees or revenue. Go with what fits your solution (e.g., 50-500 employees, not “anyone with a pulse”).
- Location: Useful if you only serve certain regions, or want to exclude places for legal/tax reasons.
- Technology used: If your product integrates with Salesforce, filter for companies that use Salesforce.
- Recent activity: Some tools in Getrafiki let you see who’s actively hiring, growing, or making news. These are warmer leads.
What to ignore:
Don’t get sucked into vanity filters like “number of social media followers” or “founded date” unless it’s core to your business. Focus on what actually predicts a good fit.
Step 4: Build your first list
Now, combine your filters and see what you get. If your list is:
- Too big (thousands): Tighten your filters. Quality over quantity.
- Too small (under 20): Loosen up. You might be overly specific.
When you’ve got a list that feels right (usually a few dozen to a few hundred accounts), save it in Getrafiki.
- Give it a clear, simple name. “US SaaS companies, 50-500 employees, using Salesforce” beats “Q3 List 7.”
- Add a description—future you will thank you.
- Tag or segment as needed (by campaign, region, or owner).
Pro tip: Don’t build a mega-list “for the whole year.” Tastes and markets shift. Start with a batch you can actually handle in a month or a quarter.
Step 5: Add buying signals (optional, but worth it)
If Getrafiki shows intent data or buying signals—like companies recently raising funding, posting jobs, or launching new products—use them. These accounts are more likely to take your call or email.
But keep your feet on the ground:
- Don’t treat every signal as a hot lead. Lots of companies post jobs or get funding and still don’t buy.
- Prioritize accounts with multiple signals. Someone hiring, raising money, and evaluating new tools? That’s your sweet spot.
Sort or tag these accounts within your list so you can prioritize outreach.
Step 6: Export or sync your list (if needed)
Depending on your workflow, you might want to push your list into your CRM, a sales engagement tool, or even a spreadsheet.
- Direct integrations: If Getrafiki connects to your CRM (like Salesforce or HubSpot), use it. Saves you manual work and keeps data fresh.
- CSV export: Sometimes, a good old spreadsheet is best—especially for pilot campaigns or quick tests.
- Manual copy-paste: If you’re stuck, you can always copy the data, but triple-check for errors.
Heads-up:
Always double-check your exported data for weird formatting or missing info. Nothing kills momentum like a broken import.
Step 7: Assign owners and set next steps
Lists don’t work unless someone owns them. Before you start blasting emails:
- Assign ownership—who’s responsible for each account?
- Set clear next steps: Research, outreach, follow-up, etc.
- Don’t just “assign to everyone.” That’s a recipe for confusion and dropped balls.
If you’re solo, this is easy. If you’re on a team, get specific.
Step 8: Review and update regularly
Your first list won’t be perfect. That’s fine—no one gets it right the first time.
- Review results after a couple weeks. Are you getting responses? Are these the right companies?
- Update your filters or criteria as you learn.
- Archive or prune stale accounts. Don’t keep dead weight just to feel busy.
Pro tip:
Have a quick team review every month. What’s working? What’s not? Iterate.
What actually works—and what doesn’t
Building targeted lists is simple, but not always easy. Here’s what I’ve seen work:
What works: - Tight, focused lists based on real customer data - Using buying signals to prioritize outreach - Assigning clear ownership and next steps
What doesn’t: - Giant, unfocused lists (“let’s just email everyone”) - Over-engineering with too many filters or fancy scoring - Letting lists go stale and never updating them
Ignore the temptation to automate everything or chase the latest “AI scoring” hype. Start with the basics. They work.
Keep it simple—and tweak as you go
Don’t wait for perfection. Build a small, targeted list in Getrafiki, reach out, and see what happens. The feedback you get from actual conversations will shape your next batch better than any spreadsheet or dashboard.
Start with what you know, keep it real, and adjust as you learn. The best B2B outreach isn’t magic—it’s just focused, persistent, and a little bit human.